Taylor Swift and a crossover fairytale

Taylor Swift often sings about fairy tales (and sometimes dresses like she’s in one). Several of her biggest hits — Teardrops On My Guitar, Love Story, White Horse, You Belong With Me, Today Was a Fairytale — play on gushing, storybook versions of romance.

“There’s that side of me — that loves to dress up and put makeup on,” she said in a 2007 interview.

In some ways, Swift’s ascent to fame has been a bit of a fairy tale itself.

There have been dizzying highs: multi-platinum releases, an album of the year Grammy, an electrifying RodeoHouston debut in front of more than 70,000 fans. Swift, 20, is also the youngest artist (and only the sixth female) to win the Country Music Association entertainer of the year award.

There have also been a few lows, including her breakup with Joe Jonas (which resulted in the song Forever & Always) and a mismatched pairing with Stevie Nicks earlier this year at the Grammys. Swift was also shut out of last month’s Academy of Country Music Awards, despite several nominations.

Every great story, of course, needs a villain. We’re looking at you, Kanye West. He’s been out of the spotlight since bum-rushing the stage after Swift won best female video at the 2009 MTV Video Music Awards. (Disrespecting a teenager and embarrassing Beyoncé in one fell swoop is quite a feat.)

Fans and A-list stars immediately rushed to Swift’s defense. And she handled herself with grace and honesty, as she’s done throughout her brief, dazzling career.

“Taylor is really a great role model. You never see her in the tabloids because of partying or underage drinking,” says Katie Armiger, an 18-year-old country singer from Sugar Land whose current single, Kiss Me Now, is making national playlists.

“She has such high standards for how she carries herself. I think we could all learn from her. She is always gracious in every setting.”

It’s safe to say Swift will likely survive whatever career dilemmas come her way in the near future. Her Fearless Tour, which includes two sold-out Houston stops, has played to packed arenas around the world. (Yes, world.) It’s largely thanks to her innate ability to connect with young fans. Her songs are simple but not simplistic, told in a way that seems unforced and real.

But what makes Swift special is her willingness to break outside of the country-blond box. Her live shows are fist-pumping jolts of electric youth, and her two studio albums have been repackaged with tons of bonus tracks and personal touches. Swift also collaborated with Def Leppard for a sing-along episode of CMT’s Crossroads.

She’s also not above poking fun at herself. She teamed up with T-Pain for the flat-out hilarious Thug Story, an Auto-Tuned parody of both singers. (“You out clubbin? But I just made caramel delight!”)

And, in case you didn’t know, Swift has a bona fide Houston connection. Her mother, Andrea, grew up in Houston, attended Memorial High School and graduated from the University of Houston.

Vocally, Swift likely will never compete with the multi-octave divas. But she doesn’t seem to want to. For Swift and her fans, it’s not about soaring high notes. For Swift and her fans, the connection comes first.

“She makes everyone feel special when they’re around her,” Armiger says. “The first time I met her, she called out my name and gave me a big hug like we had always been friends. I can’t wait for her next album.”

Taylor-made covers

The mark of true pop-culture awareness? Cover songs. Taylor Swift has amassed quite a legion of both fans and pros reworking her tunes. Here are a few of the best, all listenable on YouTube, of course:

A Goodnight Crisis (Love Story): The Houston band turns one of Swift’s signature hits into a pulsing electro-rock anthem, with a roaringly creepy bridge.

Butch Walker (You Belong With Me): Producer for Avril Lavigne, Pink and Katy Perry turns in a sun-kissed version perfect for the beach.

Phil Schawel (Breathe): A surprisingly slick take on Swift’s pairing with Colbie Caillat from this Chicago musician.